May 2011

Listening to AM radio stations is always a part of my daily routine. Aside from reading newspapers and news on the net, it’s my source of general information on topics like business, showbiz, political views and most specially health news. When I am at home, my AM-FM radio is always on and would switch channels to catch up on my favorite shows.

Even if I am a doctor myself, I do listen to fellow doctors discuss health topics on different radio shows. I find them very educational in terms of the latest trends in medicine at the same time I learn strategies on how to explain certain topics in simple terms and delivered in Filipino language. On my part I try to apply this in teaching my patients and my students as well.

The doctors who have regular AM radio shows are:

Dr Robin Navarro

“Dis Is Manolo” , Monday and Thurs 10:30 PM to 12:00 MN, DZBB.

A segment of Don Manolo Favis’ show is dedicated to answer questions about the health, with Dr Navarro as resource person. He supports proper nutrition such as eating functional food such as “bulalo” ,eggs and drinking milk.

Dr Jaime Galvez Tan

“Doctor’s Order “Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 8:30 Am, DWWW.

He advocates the use of traditional, herbal medicine and Filipino healing practices such as “hilot”. Listeners can text or call in questions on various health topics.

Dr Bles Salvador

“DRA. BLES@ UR SERBIS”, ?Sundays, 6:00-7:00PM. DZMM,

She offers free consultation on different health problems. Listeners can text or call in question on various health topics.

Security guards, sales persons, teachers, traffic enforcers, nurses are people who have jobs that require prolonged standing in the performance of their duties. Standing is a daily activity for us but standing for hours on a daily basis can cause several body complaints.

Complaints can be in the form of fatigue, leg and foot muscle pain, back and hip pain, and even tingling sensations on the foot and edema or inflammation of both feet.

Prolonged standing causes muscles strain at the same time blood remains in the legs and feet and cannot properly circulate. This results in inflammaton of the veins and over time ,this can progress to varicose veins. The veins become dilated and this will prevent further circulation of the blood going to the heart.

There are several ways to reduce the bad effects of prolonged standing :
1. Practice body mechanics.

When standing for aperiod of time, periodically flex one hip and knee and rest your foot on an object if possible.

2. Change your work position frequently .

Shift body weight from one leg to the other. Walk or move around. there is less strain on the individual muscles and joints used to maintain the upright position.

Changing body positions also improves blood supply to the working muscles. Both effects contribute to the reduction of overall fatigue.

3. A seat should be provided in any case to allow the worker to sit occasionally.
4. Proper footwear. Wear comfortable low-heeled shoes that provide foot support and will not cause you to slip, stumble, or turn your ankle.
5. At home raise your legs up above hip level whenever they are aching.
6. Stay away from tight fitting clothes, particularly a girdle that is too tight, or a panty hose that is constricting in the groin area.

An increase in monetary compensation is not the only thing to ask your employer, they should provide occupational and health safety work environment to employees to prevent accidents and occupational illnesses.

Let us celebrate! Its time to party after graduation, anniversaries,birthdays etc. Part of the party will be food, dancing, karaoke singing and the intake of alcohol.

There are different types of alcoholic beverages like wines,beer, whisky, rhum, brandy, vodka, and gin. Brandy, vodka and gin have 40 -50 % alcohol content. It’s not how many drinks that you have, but how much alcohol that you consume to be intoxicated.

The problem lies the day after , you have a hangover because of alcohol intake. You want to relieve yourself of a headache, lethargy, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, an upset stomach and even diarrhea.You curse alcohol and sometimes swear you will give up alcohol ….

In the first place, a fun night can turn into a “feel good” a day after. Here are some tips to avoid a hangover:

• Drink on a full stomach. Food slows the absorption of alcohol. The slower you absorb alcohol, the less alcohol reaches the brain. The larger the meal and closer in time between eating and drinking, the greater the decrease of peak alcohol concentration in blood.
• Drink slowly. The more slowly you drink, the less alcohol actually reaches the blood and eventually the brain.
• Drink the right drinks. The less alcohol content of an alcoholic drink the less hangover. An evening spent with too much red wine can also causes headache the day after.
How to get through with hangover the dayafter?
• Drink fruit juice, buillon or soup to replenish your water supply. This helps the body burn alcohol faster and accelerate the removal of alcohol still in the body.The buillon or soup will replace the salt and potassium loss and helps in regaining strength of your muscles.
• Pain relief: You may take paracetamol the night before you sleep or when you get up in the morning after eating a light breakfast.
• Take B complex vitamins , your stress vitamins.This will help shorten the duration of your hangover.
• Eat a light meal , but a balanced one with essential nutrients
• Get a good night’s sleep the day after.

Don’t drink alcoholic beverages when :
• If you have to drive a vehicle after
• If you are allergic to alcohol
• when taking antibiotics and medicines for allergy
• hepatic disease
• gastrointestinal ulcers
• cardiac or skeletal myopathy
• Pregnant women in the first and third trimesters

What about that cup of coffee?
Coffee has not been proven to alleviate hangover symptoms. Caffeine can further dehydrate the body. Water, green tea, sports drink or other decaffeinated teas are a better choice.

In the Philippines, eight out of 10 top causes of morbidity are infectious in nature. These diseases like measles, chicken pox and pneumonia are transmitted by sneezing, coughing, spitting, talking and by air currents. On the other hand, diarrhea can be acquired by contaminated water, food, milk and blood.

The infection process is like a circle of links, its a cycle that goes on and on in a sequential manner. To prevent infection is to break the links in the chain of infection. The links are: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit from the reservoir, mode of transmission, and portal of entry into a susceptible host.

To break the link of the chain of infection , there are several ways and methods that can be practiced and thus prevent infection. Prevention of infections should start at home!

• Foremost is hand hygiene, either you use soap and water or the available hand sanitizer. Once I enter our home, the first thing that I do is hand washing.

• Anything that is moist is a breeding ground for microorganism thus a source of infection.

1. In the kitchen, clean and disinfect countertops especially crevices, it will prevent bacteria from hiding there.

2. Replace sponges and wash cloths often.

3. Air or sun dry wash cloths, bath, face towels every day, they can be breeding ground for fungus.

4. Spray the inside of shoes with disinfectant to kill off fungus spores. Never keep shoes in cabinets, air dry them.

5. Clean and disinfect the floor, vinyl tile, and walls inside an air conditioned room every now and then.

• For your children especially if they are toddlers, select play toys that can easily be cleaned and disinfected, stay away from stuffed furry toys if these will be shared with other children.
• Do away with the hanky, it’s unhygienic. Use tissue to Cover mouth/nose when sneezing, and then dispose properly.

If you have more tips on how to maintain cleanliness at home , Join the Philippine Spring Cleaning Day Contest

Give us your best tip on how to clean your home.

1. Put your best tip in Philippine Spring Cleaning Day in commitment/tips page.
2. You also have to email your tip to philippinespringcleaningday@gmail.com with your name and contact number.